10 AVRIL 2015 NEWS: Selkirk - Navenby - Malwai -

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ROYAUME UNI – Selkirk- Scottish Borders Council hopes to rediscover the lost abbey in Selkirk that was founded by David I in 1113 before he became king. The authority’s archaeology officer, Dr Chris Bowles, said unearthing the ancient site would shed new light on Scottish history and allow people to discover what actually happened when Selkirk’s Tironensian monks were moved to Kelso abbey in 1128. Dr Bowles said: “Selkirk was the first reformed monastic community in Britain, before Melrose, Jedburgh or any other Border abbey; “It’s probably the most important abbey in Britain. Recent geophysical ground surveys, by local youth groups under Kelso’s Townscape Heritage Initiative, suggest a long structure lies across a field beside Kelso abbey, which may be its “great drain”. Dr Bowles added: “All the abbeys had a great drain to bring in fresh water, and take away waste.

ROYAUME UNI – Navenby – Archaeologists spent 60 days on site last summer, allowing complete excavation from the surface to the natural geology in an 8m x 8m plot.Ian Cox from the group said: “Eight phases of occupation were recorded and started when the site was possibly first used as a quarry during the 1st century with limestone being excavated and possibly used for building Ermine Street. “The site was then levelled and possibly used for keeping animals, stables, barn type activities in the third century. Most finds date to 4th and early 5th century with evidence of food preparation and eating activities.” A total of 8,000 pieces of pottery were recovered and according to the pottery specialist the site has produced the best collection of late Roman pottery in Lincolnshire. Mr Cox said: “The biggest surprise was the lack of personal items on site during the 400 years of occupation, that again points to the main use was possibly for service rather than domestic.” Other highlights were: ○ A complete child burial plus eight disturbed child burials (remains scattered across the site during demolition and rebuilding works). ○ More than 300 low denomination coins found scattered in an area that may have been used as a purchasing/eating/ gaming area; very similar to roadside facilities discovered at Pompeii. ○ More than 300 pieces of glass vessels; mainly for drinking; again pointing to a food/drink outlet. Several metal styli, possibly used for writing orders for purchasing goods/accounts/tax on wax tablets. ○ Two small stone portable altars for offerings. Very simple rustic decoration with no inscriptions.

INDE – Malwai - A 12th century Shiva temple with exquisite stone carvings and an imposing 120-foot high shikhar (top) lies in neglect at Malwai village, about 215 kilometres from Indore. And the point of worry is that the state archaeology department has no immediate plans to restore it and project it as a major heritage site of western Madhya Pradesh. The temple was built by the Parmar rulers who ruled Malwa from 10th to 13th century. The archaeology department's technical assistant DP Pande, who has done a research on Parmar temples, said the Parmars were Shaivaites by faith and loved to build intricate carved-stone temples across western Malwa. The artisans were trained in Hinglajgarh, which is located in Mandsaur district, bordering Rajasthan. The Malwai temple is made of yellow sand stone. It's located on the ancient trade route which was used by the caravans and the tourists from north India to reach Gujarat. At present the temple remains have the sanctum sanctorum which has an elevation called shikhar. The shikhar bears carved images of Hindu deities and floral designs. The outer walls of the sanctum sanctorum too are heavily decorated with floral motifs and images of temple attendants holding lotuses. The sanctum sanctorum has five small black stone shivlingas, which experts say, were made after the original shivling was destroyed. The temple had a sabha mandap (corridor) which leads to the sanctum sanctorum. But, it collapsed over a period of time and the large stone blocks with damaged carvings which can be found lying hither thither on the temple campus are believed to be its remains. The temple shikhar is a two-storeyed structure with carvings on three sides. Its outer portion above the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum has fallen off exposing large stone slabs placed one above the other as its base.